IC Gliding Club
Imperial College Gliding Club have achieved a first - for the first time in the club’s 67 year history not one, but two of its members have been selected to represent Great Britain in the 6 man British Junior Gliding Team. They will compete against teams from 15 other European countries in the Junior European Gliding Championships which will be held at Musbach, Southern Germany this August.
Afandi Darlington (pictured flying ‘96’, Imperial College Gliding Club’s high performance ASW-24 glider) and Peter Masson were chosen after their performance in the 1996 British Junior Gliding Championships, in which they finished 2nd and 6th respectively.
Gliding competitions involve racing across country around pre-declared courses; the winner is the fastest pilot. The gliders circle in rising air (thermals) to gain the height lost in straight flight.
Imperial College Gliding Club was formed in 1930 and helped pioneer the sport of gliding in the UK. Over the past 67 years thousands of students have been taught to fly by the club, which operates from Lasham Airfield in Hampshire (the world’s largest gliding centre). At present the club owns three gliders, including a two-seater training glider use for training from first flight right through to cross-country flying or aerobatics!
